


Trying to Stay

by ImperfectAlias



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Ignis and Prompto have a quiet chat, M/M, Minor Episode Ignis Spoilers, Promnis Week, death mention, post-Chapter 10
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-28
Updated: 2018-01-28
Packaged: 2019-03-10 16:41:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13505556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImperfectAlias/pseuds/ImperfectAlias
Summary: After their visit to the royal tomb in Cartanica, the group takes a moment to breathe when their train stops at a freight stop to wait out the night - and Ignis has a word with Prompto.Because, sometimes, something seen in a moment is something that has always been there.“And yet,” Ignis breathes out, as if slightly dazed by the revelation, “here you are-"





	Trying to Stay

**Author's Note:**

> Promnis Week Day Seven: “A moment Ignis saw Prompto’s true, inner strength.”

“Man, I’m gonna smell like swamp water for _weeks_ ,” Prompto complains rather dramatically as he enters the train compartment, the cot opposite Ignis giving a pained creak under the blond’s weight as he sits down.

“I suppose that’s the price paid for fighting a marlboro in murky waters.” Ignis tilts his head in the blond’s direction, lips twitching upward at the corners despite himself. “Though I do suspect things could have been worse, all things considered.”

“I _guess_.” Ignis can hear Prompto flop backwards - frowning at what he believes to be the sound of the blond’s head taping the wall. “On the brightside, at least the stop has showers,” Prompto says after a loud sigh, seemingly undeterred. “I _think_ I might have used half of the body wash trying to get rid of the smell, though - think Noct or Gladio will notice?”

“They’ll likely be too tired from their impromptu training session to complain… and I’ll just assume that you’ve dried your hair before laying down,” Ignis replies while crossing his legs, allowing a smile as a telltale pause is followed quickly by Prompto likely scrambling for a towel - the cot creaking like a tattletale.

“Who, _me?_ ” Prompto asks, tone innocent. Ignis can hear the rustling of heavy fabric before the cot is creaking yet again. “ _Never!_ Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“I’m sure,” Ignis hums in reply. He grins at the banter - pleased, and borderline relieved, to have a semblance of normality stretching over the group again.

After the events at the royal tomb in Cartanica, the group had returned to the train station without much issue. The walk had been a lengthy silence - though, thankfully, it hadn’t been completely uncomfortable… rather it had been more cautious, if anything - as if none of them had been sure how to speak after several tension-filled weeks.

It wasn’t until they had reached the train that the silence was broken, namely by Prompto humming that _infernal chocobo song_ \- which ended in Ignis and Gladio letting out loud, involuntary sighs that coaxed a snort of amusement from Noctis. Prompto had then confessed, no doubt smiling wide, to having had the song stuck in his head for several days previous.

Ignis might have believed that was all there had been to it, had he not felt Prompto’s hand twitch against the small of his back.

Hands tightening around the handle of his collapsible cane, a new tick he seems to have picked up since Altissia, Ignis asks, “Prompto - might I have a word with you about something?”

The pause that follows causes Ignis to resist the urge to shift his weight, only to feel the muscles in his shoulders loosen as he hears Prompto move - probably to sit up. “Of course!” Ignis can hear the attempt at nonchalance and takes a moment to appreciate it. “What’s up, Iggy?” Prompto asks, tone attentive.

Ignis takes in a breath through his nose. “I wanted to speak to you about what happened in Cartanica,” he says slowly, before adding, “preferably while Gladio and Noct are away.”

Though the group had agreed to go to Tenebrae, the train had stopped for the night at a freight stop along the way - travel in the area being too dangerous at night due to increased daemon activity. The group had taken it as a sign to get cleaned up, as the stop had proper cleaning facilities - such as showers and a laundromat… yet, no sooner had they stepped off the train, Gladio had dragged Noctis away under the pretense of training.

Considering how no one had objected to the somewhat brash suggestion, Ignis found it safe to assume that Gladio - in his own way - was attempting to atone for his aggressive behavior and showed as much in his body language.

So, as the other pair is out and about, it leaves Ignis and Prompto with the train compartment to themselves - for the time being, at least.

Prompto takes in a breath like a prolonged gasp. “Oh,” he manages to say. Ignis doesn’t have a hard time imagining the other picking at his wristbands. “About that - I’m sorry,” Prompto continues with a little sigh.

Ignis blinks involuntarily. “Excuse me?” he asks, albeit a bit dumbfounded.

“I shouldn’t have put words in your mouth like that,” Prompto replies, voice softening. “You don’t need someone to talk for you.”

“I… appreciate that, thank you, Prompto,” Ignis says after a second or two, adjusting his glasses with one hand as the other tightens around his cane handle - buying himself another, extra moment of thought.

The moment stretches out for several as Prompto remains silent, Ignis hearing the distinct sound of his boot tapping against the floor anxiously.

 _Oh_.

“I didn’t mean it like that.” Ignis lets out a sigh as it clicks for him, head tilting towards the floor. “Though I could have, and did, speak for myself - you didn’t intend to hurt my feelings, nor did you.”

“But I still-”

“You wanted to make it understood that I deserve a choice - regardless of my physical state and abilities,” Ignis cuts the other off sharply, only to pinch the bridge of his nose for a moment. No - there isn’t a need to get irritated - especially with Prompto. When he speaks again, his voice is softer, and he lifts his eye line towards Prompto’s direction, “you didn’t do anything wrong, Prompto.”

Prompto gives another prolonged gasp of an inhale as silence falls between them.

Ignis merely leans back to rest his head against the wall. He’ll give Prompto all the time he needs.

“I just…” Prompto trails after a minute or so. There's another telltale pause - and Ignis can practically _hear_ the blond’s leather bracelets being picked at - before there's the sound of an almost frustrated exhale. “Just because you can’t see anymore - it… it doesn’t make you any less _you_ \- if that makes any sense? I mean - Six - _you_ came up with how to beat the marlboro, not us. Me, Noct, and Gladio? We couldn’t have done that on our own - not until after almost getting killed.”

“You said as much earlier,” Ignis replies, if only to show he’s listening. “I'm sure that _one_ of you-” he continues.

“ _No_.” Prompto lets out another frustrated noise. “Just - no _one of you_ about it - you’re so _important_ , Iggy.”

Ignis gives a strangled hum of a reply that leaves him clearing his throat with a short cough - and he hears Prompto shift his weight. A part of Ignis wishes he could see the other right now, because the frown is almost tangible, and the blond has always been so _expressive_.

“Noct - he _needs_ you. He’s so… and you and Gladio…” Prompto continues after a moment, Ignis catching another faint rustling sound as the other lets out another sigh. His voice is muffled - probably by the towel. “Look - I… I know I’m just the joker here. The pleb - the happy-go-lucky guy with the camera - but you… it wasn’t right. Gladio shouldn’t have written off you or your feelings like that - I don’t care if he’s worried. You’re still Ignis. You’re still a member of the team.”

“As are you,” Ignis says before he can stop himself. “You’re also a member of this team, Prompto.”

“Well yeah, _maybe_ \- but I’m…” Prompto trails for a second, as if trying to grasp for words he hasn’t thought through yet. “I’m not good at things like you and Gladio are - especially _for_ Noct. I don't have - I didn't _train_ like you guys - and... I’m not… no - this isn’t about me. This is about you. I didn’t - sorry to go off for a sec there.”

Letting a silence hang in the air for a moment, Ignis uncrosses his legs and leans forward a bit. For a moment, he wonders what kind of expression Prompto is wearing - a smile, maybe? Prompto has always been good at laughing off a serious atmosphere, or at least he _had_ , before the group had visited Altissia…

But a lot of things have changed since Altissia.

“Prompto.” His voice is stern and Ignis has to take a second to remember to speak softly. Even with irritation starting to bubble beneath his skin, Prompto doesn't deserve it; it's not at him - _it's not his fault_ \- Ignis reminds himself. “What I wanted to tell you… was that I appreciated you standing up for what you believed in, back in Cartanica - it’s a good trait to have. I also wanted to say that, though I know I have a hard time voicing it - I have appreciated your… assistance these past few weeks.”

The creaking of the cot gives away Prompto’s anxious fidgeting. “I just… I mean, I-”

“You haven’t treated me like a burden, nor have you dismissed my… disability,” Ignis continues, his hands tightening on his cane again. “While Gladio and Noct bickered, you chose to play peacekeeper and make attempts at humor - all whilst helping me gain my bearings. I may not have shown you my… _best qualities_ , but you chose to stay and work with me. You have my thanks.”

“Iggy…” Prompto’s voice cracks a bit, in what Ignis can only assume is embarrassment. The blond lets out a forced, strained noise of a laugh. “A lot of good that did.”

“Where Gladio, Noct, and I all failed to try and destress the situation - you still made the effort to do so, regardless of the results - even if we likely made it frustrating and difficult to do so.”

“Well… yeah - but I - that… that's just me _coping_ ,” Prompto’s voice grows quieter with each word, as if he's folding in on himself.

“Prompto.”

“So much has _happened_ \- I’m _nowhere near_ as strong as you three are. Like I said, Iggy - I… I’m just some - some _nobody_ along for the ride,” Prompto manages to choke out, sounding somewhere between being too emotional and not emotional enough - as if this is an ongoing battle. “But you guys - you guys are my _friends_ \- and I… I'm just _trying my best._ ”

And then something clicks in the back of Ignis’ mind - as if suddenly he understands something, that is so blatantly obvious, he has to be a fool to miss it.

To call Prompto a weak person - in any way, shape, or form - is to tell a very foolish lie… and Ignis is anything but a fool.

Prompto, who continues to march alongside Noctis, despite his own inhibitions and shortcomings... despite his own emotional hang ups - Prompto, who was given the option to despair like the rest of them, chooses to smile and help where he can.

Where Ignis and Gladio were brought into their roles from a young age, though they don’t regret it in the slightest - Prompto was a _civilian_ who chose to stay beside them. He was a civilian who _chose_ to become a part of Noctis’ life, taking part in the Crownsguard tests and training, and continues to stand with him; not because years of teaching and practice taught him to do so - but because he _wants_ to.

“And yet,” Ignis breathes out, as if slightly dazed by the revelation, “here you are - here because you _choose_ to be here.”

Prompto, who is so strong - because he _chooses,_ despite it all, to _stay_.

The blond doesn’t respond for a moment, but the sharp inhale that Prompto takes tells Ignis all he needs to know.

“Let me assure you,” Ignis says, as gently as he can manage, “that a _nobody_ would not continue to make the conscious effort to stay. He would have ran - fled as soon as things became too difficult to manage. A nobody would have stopped being kind, because kindness for him would have been seen as a weakness.”

“A lot of good that did,” Prompto repeats, voice muffled. Ignis hears him shift again.

“Prompto.”

“No, really - it's a lot of good that does when I was still too _late_.”

So that's it. Ignis lets out a long exhale. “If this is about what happened in Altissia-”

“Of course it's about Altissia!” Prompto snaps, causing Ignis to start in surprise at the raised volume - the small compartment makes the sound echo. Prompto immediately brings his volume down with an exhale of his own, reaching out to put a hand on Ignis’ knee. “I - sorry - I just… me and Gladio - we _tried_ … we were so - Gladio was shouting, because he was worried - like _actually worried_ \- and you, when we found you both - your face and hands… you were all burned up… and Noct - _Six_ \- we thought he was _dead_.”

Ignis grasps for words for a moment, moving his own hand over Prompto’s. He brushes his thumb over the backs of Prompto’ knuckles, and vaguely wonders if the burn scars look as bad as he believes they do - he didn't bother putting his gloves back on after his shower. Ignis, at the very least, still has feeling in his hands - so he supposes it could be worse. “It's not your fault, Prompto.”

Prompto digs his fingers into Ignis’ pant leg before gently moving to grip the fabric there instead, as if realizing what he was doing. “...but what if it _was?_   Iggy, I… if I just - if I had just been _faster_ … maybe this wouldn't have happened - if me and Gladio had gotten there sooner, it _wouldn't_ have happened.”

“Prompto…” Ignis sighs, pausing a moment before moving to stand. Prompto moves his hand, but Ignis continues to hold it in a loose grip - using Prompto’s hand as a guide to help him sit down beside the other. He ducks his head to avoid the top bunk, especially after he feels it brush against the top of his hair. The cot gives another creak as Prompto shifts to make more room for him. “You and Gladio got all of the civilians to safety and _kept_ them safe by drawing the Empire’s attention away from them - you did everything you could.”

“But it wasn't _enough_.” Prompto makes another sound like a long sigh pushing out from between his teeth. “If we’d worked _faster_ ... if we’d gotten to the altar _sooner_ \- you might still have your eyes! Lunafreya might not’ve _died_ \- I should have stayed with Noct! Astrals be damned - because _maybe_ I… I… maybe I could have done _something!”_

Ignis takes in a breath, squeezing Prompto’s hand when he feels a telltale tremble; he only lets go to carefully rest his collapsed cane on the cot behind him, before letting his hand travel across Prompto’s shoulders. Ignis then gently pulls the blond sideways against himself, only stopping when he feels a head of damp hair against his shoulder and neck. “It's not your fault,” he breathes out. “It _wasn't_ your fault.”

It takes Prompto sniffling and a movement of his arms for Ignis to realize that the dampness on his shirt might not only be from the blond’s hair. “We thought you both were _dead_ , Iggy,” Prompto murmurs, voice wavering as his’ words fight with one another to leave his lips first. “All we saw was you and Noct on the ground - Ravus leaning over you... it was - we - _I_ \- for a _second_ I - I thought you and Noct were gonna - _were_ \- and you kept _mumbling_ -! Gladio had to check your _pulse_ \- and we didn't _know_ if-!”

“Prompto...” Ignis runs his thumb over the underside of his middle finger on his left hand - the scar tissue prominent - as he leans his head against Prompto’s, feeling his glasses get pushed askew across his nose and dampness seep into his hair. “You did everything you could,” he whispers - but whether it's more for Prompto or himself, even he doesn't know. “I'm sorry that we worried you like that.”

Prompto’s voice is watery as he admits, “it was - it - I thought - and then everyone stopped _talking_ to each other - and I thought… I thought maybe if I… I'm _so sorry_ , Iggy.”

“It's not your fault,” Ignis tries again, pulling Prompto in the slightest bit tighter - comforting, hopefully, the both of them. “You're doing your best - I'm sorry we worried you.”

Prompto leans into the half-hug. “I'm so sorry I couldn't do anything,” he says with a shaking inhale.

“I'm sorry, too,” Ignis replies quietly, sighing as he runs his thumb across Prompto’s shoulder. “I'm sorry we made you feel this way.” Sorry that they didn't take the time to _notice_.

Prompto merely shifts again, probably wiping at his face, before asking quietly, “do you think it'll be okay?”

Ignis pauses - and for a second, he swears he can smell seawater - before saying, tone distant and feeling rather unsure about how he must appear to the other, “I don't know.”

The pause is a pregnant one, broken only by a chuckle that sounds oddly like a sigh of relief. “I shouldn't find that comforting - but I really do,” Prompto says softly, tone with only a fraction of his usual enthusiasm. He's trying, and Ignis can appreciate that. “I guess we gotta keep on keepin’ on - the only way I know how, really.”

Ignis feels his lips curl at the edges - into either a grimace or a smile, he's unsure. With a recent secret playing behind his eyelids, Ignis murmurs quietly, “I suppose you're right.”

“Gotta keep playing to our strengths, right?” Prompto half-chuckles and half-chokes out, probably with a smile, as he moves an arm around Ignis’ lower back to return the half-hug.

And despite how painfully aware he is of the scars on his left hand, as well as the many things they entail, Ignis leans onto Prompto as the compartment falls into silence - feeling truly grounded for the first time since Altissia.

**Author's Note:**

> Trying - an adjective that can mean difficult, annoying, or hard to endure.
> 
> I like quiet moments of strength.


End file.
